A Place to
Celebrate
Review of We Are Staffordshire:
A 3 year pilot
Welcome to Staffordshire
As Chair of the We Are Staffordshire Place Board, I couldn’t feel more proud to step back and look at what we have collectively achieved.
Aptly named, Staffordshire truly is a place to celebrate and through the interactive ‘pages’ of this report, there is plenty of opportunity to do just that.
I’d like to thank our partners, Ambassadors and our future funders – for all that we have collectively achieved.
In this three-year review, we’ll be looking back at our impact over the Pilot Phase from March 2021-24 and setting out our vision for this next exciting chapter.
Our journey is only just beginning and we’re so lucky to have you with us.
Hannah Ault DL,
Managing Director, Valentine Clays and
Chair of We Are Staffordshire Place Board
Three Years
in Numbers
Perception Study
A central part of our mission and purpose is to change perceptions of Staffordshire and promote our county as an unbeatable place to prosper and enjoy a life well lived. We’ve conducted a national and regional perception study, including our 250+ strong Network of Ambassadors – and here are the results!
We’ll repeat the surveys every two years so that we can chart our progress against this long-term vision over the next decade.
What is Staffordshire best known for?
How would you describe Staffordshire?
John Till
Founder and Director, thinkingplace
When thinkingplace started work with Staffordshire just over 3 years ago it was viewed as ‘lost’ between Birmingham and Manchester, insular and lacking in confidence. It didn’t have substantive stakeholder relationships and there was no ‘place led’ approach.
Having spent time there we were just astounded by the assets; businesses, brands, universities, visitor attractions, a leading city at each end, natural beauty and the National Memorial Arboretum, National Forest, National Football Centre and Peak District National Park; what a story to tell!
No place we’ve worked with in 18 years has made as much progress as Staffordshire in such a short time; their story is known far and wide, their brand well used, they’re in all the places they need to be: MIPIM, UKREiiF, Westminster – with collateral and activity that oozes quality.
We Are Staffordshire has galvanised stakeholders through its Ambassador Network, with a Place Board that displays great leadership, and their team are respected nationally. Crucially, Staffordshire County Council is a fantastic and vocal supporter.
Most importantly, We Are Staffordshire displays a quiet confidence (not arrogance) based on making the very most of what they have; the team has built the right relationships beyond the county and are viewed nationally and internationally as an exemplar of what a place brand and place led approach can achieve.
Our vision
for the future
The last three years has seen We Are Staffordshire launch from a standing start to a national example of place marketing at the top of its game.
We’ve been agile, authentic about our story, the opportunities, and the challenges. But above all, we’ve taken risks, tried new things and learned by doing things differently.
In the years ahead, we must hold onto the excitement and energy of the ‘start-up’, whilst also being clear on the long-term projects we want to implement that will really deliver impact for Staffordshire.
The Next Chapter
Following approval of the 2022 – 2026 vision strategy, We Are Staffordshire has agreed funding to continue its place marketing work beyond our initial three year pilot.
Our Place Board, established in 2021, champions Staffordshire at every turn and will continue to set the strategic direction for all that we do and holding We Are Staffordshire to account.
Made up of an engaged collaboration of the county’s leaders across the private, public and third sectors, our visitor economy, investment and business and learning skills are all represented.
This focused governance group is central to ensuring our approach is on the right path and is representative of our stakeholders and county’s priorities – so that we are always delivering for Staffordshire.
Our Board members are represented below but for more information, please get in touch.
Hannah Ault DL
Chair
Valentine Clays
Josie Morris MBE
Woolcool
Simon Warburton
Lichfield Cathedral
Paul Williams
Place consultant and Academic
Kirsty Rollings
Keele University
Mary-ann Astle
Staffordshire University
Louisa Shaw
We Are Staffordshire
Mark Ellis
National Memorial Arboretum
Chris Plant
Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce
Alistair Budd
Trentham
John Kavanagh
JCB
John Beaty
Burton & South
Derbyshire College
Craig Hodgson
Newcastle & Stafford
Colleges Group
Our Funders
Hear from just a selection of our Patrons, Partners and Ambassador sponsors on what it means to support and shape our We Are Staffordshire’s work moving forward.
Patrons
Partner
Ambassadors
Partner Testimonials
Simon Warburton, Executive Director,
Lichfield Cathedral and Place Board member
Three years ago, I was thrilled to receive a request to join this new county-wide place shaping initiative.
We Are Staffordshire has become an increasingly important part of the county’s economic development landscape, helping to bridge the gap between the diverse offerings of the area. Whether to live, work or play, Staffordshire really does have it all. From excellent road and rail connections, outstanding higher education institutions, major global HQs, investment opportunities, internationally recognised brands, and an outstanding quality of life.
Lichfield Cathedral is proud to support We Are Staffordshire, and we would encourage other businesses to get involved.
Delivery Plan
2024 - 25
With a bold vision to build upon the foundations we’ve built between 2020-2023, our 2024-25 Delivery Plan strikes a balance between a pace delivery of events and activities, and longer-term impact programmes such as the Staffordshire Film Office, Young People activity and greater alignment in the way we market services under the ‘We Are Staffordshire’ brand.
With a diversified funding stream in place, our 2024-25 Delivery Plan reflects the priorities of our tourism, skills, investment partners as always, as well as, for the first time, our District & Borough partners and our Patrons.
View our plan, annual budget allocation and associated KPIs for the 2024-25 delivery period.
The Year Ahead
in Numbers
Activity Timeline
Budget
Funding Breakdown
| Contribution | ||
|---|---|---|
| Staffordshire County Council | £150k | Supporting place marketing resource plus marketing contribution |
| Districts and Boroughs | £40k | Supporting specific place-led activity set out on an annual basis |
| Private Sector | £50k | Investment via a tiered funding structure of patrons, partners and ambassadors, with funders split across the Live, Work, Visit study offer |
| Total | £240k | |
2024-25 Budget Allocation
| Activity Pillar | Budget Allocation | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| We Are Staffordshire Resource | £140k |
|
| Collaborative Activity | £15k |
|
|
Staffordshire Activity* *An additional £300,000 has been secured for the Film Office - representing £100,000 budget for 2024-2025 |
£30k |
|
| External Activity | £60k |
|
| Total | £240k | |
Our Priorities
We started with focus groups of key leaders, stakeholders and decision makers within – and beyond – our county. They told us in clear terms what needed to change, how we could and should promote our place, and what success might look like for them.
Measuring progress against the original mission and objectives that came directly out of that feedback, we held a pulse check with key decision makers outside the county, as well as the focus group of over 50 originally approached at the outset of We Are Staffordshire.
Feedback has been summarised into 4 key areas of focus:
Enhanced relationships – especially with Birmingham and Manchester
Collaboration and enhanced activity between Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire
A single outward facing place marketing ‘front door’ encompassing tourism, investment, skills and culture
Utilising alumni/profile raisers to tell our place story
We have defined the following as priorities, or ‘big ticket items’ in our Delivery Plan for the coming year, though many are long term programs that will appear in perpetuity:
Creation of a Staffordshire Film Office to capture the benefits of filming across our visitor economy, cultural offer and place perception
Return to House of Commons to showcase all our county has to offer to the nation’s MPs and key decision makers
Continuation of ‘Brand Staffordshire’ profile building at UKREiiF and supporting investment service activity
External brand alignment -
We Are Staffordshire
Launch of a programme dedicated to supporting and retaining young people here in Staffordshire, and changing young people’s perceptions of the place
Place Exchange –
City Nation Place Advisory Board work
In Summary
Thank you for being with us on the journey over the last three years – we wouldn’t be here without your engagement, support and collaboration.
Staffordshire is a county of significance, and narrative that echoes out of our Storybook still stands today:
We are a place of national gems, captivating countryside, attractions at every turn, flourishing businesses, successful market towns, at the heart of the UK.
Staffordshire surprises, with national destinations, global brands, a great value and quality of life, fantastically connected, rurally resplendent, a footballing focal point, a place where we remember, with space to breathe in landscapes for living.
It’s a place of innovation that designs, creates and makes; that applies knowledge and pushes boundaries; that opens your mind in landscapes that inspire and always calls you back to a place you care for as home.
It is location, landscape and liveability; it is affably affordable; it is health and well-being; it is innovative and ingenious; it is valued and valuable; it is and we are Staffordshire.